Author: J.D. Tyler

“Uh, no worries there.” Don’t provide a real-life finger snack for the gremlin—check. “What about Sariel? You said he’s Kalen’s brother, right?”

“Half-brother, but yeah. He’s also a Seelie prince,” Zan said.

“Seelie, as in Fae?” Her eyes rounded. “I’ve never met one in real life!”

“Well, you will. His nickname is Blue because his hair and wings are this cool jewel tone of blue. He’s really literal, doesn’t get a lot of human slang and terms. We have a lot of fun with him, and he’s really a great guy. You’ll like him and Kalen.”

“I’ll reserve judgment on the Sorcerer for now,” she said dryly. “He popped into my holding cell to basically inform me I was being watched and if I stepped one toe out of line he’d turn me into a slug. I believe salt was mentioned as well.”

Zan actually growled, which she thought was funny. “He won’t try any such thing, or he’ll answer to me.”

Reaching across the table, she patted his hand. “He was sort of kidding. I think. Anyway, I’m not going to push my luck around him.”

Her touch, and the assurance, seemed to settle him. At the contact, the golden bond between them sang. It was almost a living thing, humming with electricity, firing along her nerve endings to the most primal part of her. The she-wolf inside of her stirred, rumbling in need. They both wanted him again, to feel him as they did before. His cock buried deep inside as they took what was theirs. She could hardly wait to get out of here.

They finished their beers and waved good-bye to Jacee, who smiled as they left. She thought about the coyote having a fling with Zan’s best friend and wondered how she’d feel if she ran into someone who’d slept with her mate.

Her wolf snarled, letting her know she’d tear out the bitch’s throat.

Guess that answered that question.

Back in his truck, she slid into the passenger’s side. He didn’t start the engine, though, and so she looked at him, waiting. Slowly, he turned to face her. Reached over and traced a finger down her cheek.

“You’re very beautiful,” he said, the words husky.

Her heart did a strange happy dance in her chest. “As nice as that is to hear, I’m surprised that you’d pay me any sort of compliment.”

“Why? Because of your attacking Nick?”

“That’s a big enough reason, don’t you think?”

“Yes. But there are extenuating circumstances. We both know that, and I’m willing to bet your perspective will change.”

“You have a lot of faith.”

“Healer. It’s an occupational hazard.”

With that, he scooted close. Cupped a hand behind her head and pulled her in for a kiss. He smelled so good, warm and spicy, and she inhaled his scent, hungry for more of him.

“Care to take this somewhere else?”

She sucked in a breath. Her body was on a steady burn to taste him, to savor his skin. “Yes.”

Desire darkened his brown eyes, and he started the truck. Even though they’d been together last night, she couldn’t wait to have him again. In seconds, they were on the road, and she felt a thrill of excitement. She was going to be with her mate, and while they were still getting to know each other, their encounters weren’t just fucking among strangers who’d go their separate ways. That pleased her to no end. He was hers.

As she enjoyed the drive, something occurred to her. “Your voice! It’s not flat anymore. You can hear, can’t you?”

Glancing at her, he nodded and graced her with a big smile. “I can. I wasn’t going to say anything yet because I was afraid it might not be permanent, but if you noticed, maybe it’s real. I was thinking it might have something to do with you being a born shifter. I think the bond had a good physical effect on me.”

“I hope so. I’d like nothing better than if our bond healed you.”

“You mean that.” It wasn’t a question.

“I do.”

He drove until they came to a side road leading into the forest, a county road not well traveled from the looks of it. The truck bumped along for a few minutes, and he finally turned off onto a narrow lane that was little more than a dirt path. At the end, the lane became a pretty meadow with a terrific view of the snow-capped peaks of the Rockies and the Shoshone below.

“Gorgeous,” she breathed.

“There are lots of parking spots around—not that I’ve brought women to them often. I mean rarely ever.” His cheeks colored.

“Maybe you’d better stop that line of bull while you’re ahead. The part about there not being many, that is.”

“There haven’t!”

“If you say so.”

“Have you ever been parking?” he countered.

“I plead the Fifth.”

“Sure you do. Thought so.”

This time, she silenced him by initiating the kiss. His mouth was glorious, just firm enough, made for kissing. He devoured her mouth, slipping his tongue inside, stroking everywhere. Driving her crazy. She could imagine how good that would feel laving her elsewhere.

“Even last night seems like it’s been too long,” she murmured. “I need.”

“For me too. Let me taste you?”

“Please.”

Lifting her shirt, he reached for the front clasp of her bra. Flicked it open and let her breasts spill free. From that alone, her sex was throbbing. Born shifters were highly sexual creatures, and she was glad Zan was, too. They weren’t shy about their bodies, especially not once they found their mates.

They might not know each other well—but that wouldn’t stop them from burning up the sheets.

Bending, he took a nipple in his mouth and sucked it to a tight point. Little shocks went through her as he repeated the attention on the other nipple. Then switched again. Just when she thought she’d go mad from want, he turned his focus to getting her jeans unzipped and pulled to her hips. Slipping a hand in front, he palmed the pale, silky curls.

“Mmm. I couldn’t tell what you were like here, last night, in your half form. Just the way I like it—a trimmed triangle but bare where it counts.”

She loved the way a bare sex heightened pleasure and was glad he found this pleasing. Her legs spread for him, and he delved between them, stroking her clit and diving one finger into her channel.

“So good.”

“Let’s get these off, baby. I want you to ride me.”

Getting off her jeans inside a truck wasn’t easy, but at least it was a big cab. In short order, she was naked from the waist down, and he was the same. She stared at his lean, powerful thighs. And the trimmed bush with the cock jutting proudly from the curls like an exclamation point. It was at least eight inches, flushed red and purple, and gorgeous. Heavy balls were nestled underneath, resting on the leather seats.

Reclining his driver’s seat, he gestured to his lap. “Climb aboard, sweetheart. Take me for a ride.”

“Gladly.”

Moving over, she straddled him. Positioned the head of his cock at the entrance between her folds. Gradually, she sank down, adjusting every couple of inches for his width. She’d never felt so stretched, so full. Moments later, he was buried deep inside her, to the hilt. There had never been anything as good as this connection. The thread of their bond glowed, almost in approval.

“Fuck me, baby,” he begged hoarsely.

She began to pump on his length. Up and down, spreading her cream on his cock. Loving his moans and her own as she added her sounds of pleasure to his. All too soon, a familiar quickening began in her sex. The throbbing heat became too much, and she shouted her climax, channel spasming around his length.

This triggered his release, and he joined her, his big hands spanned around her waist, helping her ride him, slamming her onto his cock. When he was spent, he kissed her lips and held her on him for a long moment.

He groaned. “I suppose we should get back to reality.”

“Why?”

“Good point. But I’m afraid people would miss us, and they’d find us stuck together, expired from multiple orgasms.”

Laughing, she climbed from his lap. She was messy and yanked on her clothing quickly to avoid screwing up his nice seats. He did the same, then kissed her once more for good measure.

Selene found herself wishing they could just drive away. Leave her father and the Alpha Pack behind and forget about all of it. But she’d promised to try to give this a chance, and she would.

As she’d said, she was a wolf of her word. And there were worse fates than spending times like this with Zander Cole.

Six

Now the test would begin.

Zan drove them back to the compound, knowing life around there was truly about to change. For himself, at least. He knew the others were going to be wary of his mate at first. Some, like Ryon and Aric, might even be a bit hostile.

But this would work. It had to. As long as his hearing was truly back, he wanted desperately to remain with Alpha Pack, to be a productive member of their team, and for that, his mate had to be part of his world. If she couldn’t or wouldn’t stay, what the hell would he do? He’d have to follow her. But he wouldn’t think about that now.

After he parked, he walked around to her side, helped her down. She looked at him as though no male had ever done that before, and to hear her talk of her clan, he wasn’t surprised. He offered his hand and was pleased when she accepted it, clasping her fingers around his.

“Hungry?”

“Starved. But I’m nervous, too, so I’m not sure how the food is going to settle.”

“It’ll all be fine. Don’t worry.”

She didn’t seem convinced. It wasn’t until they got to the dining room that he understood her nerves. No one was rude or outright hostile, but . . . they were normally so open and friendly, whereas today they were reserved and watchful. He and Selene took a seat at one of the family-style dining tables, and nobody sat with them. At first.

They were filling their plates with spaghetti when a shadow fell over the table. Zan almost groaned when he looked up to see Belial standing there expectantly, as though waiting for an invite to sit down.

“Belial,” he said in greeting. Not the friendliest, but this one had quite the history with the Pack. He was seductive, manipulative. And if rumor could be believed, he came with a pretty sad story.

“Zan! Can I sit with you guys?”

He looked so hopeful. Zan sighed. “Sure.”

The newcomer sat and grabbed a plate. Selene, who’d been observing with interest, said, “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

“Belial, this is my new mate, Selene Westfall. Selene, Belial.”

“Nice to meet—wait a second. Westfall? As in our commander, Nick?”

“I’m his daughter,” she said, somewhat shortly. “What about you? You’re not a wolf.”

“Nope. I’m a basilisk shifter.” He waggled his dark brows. “Scared now?”

“Should I be?” She seemed unperturbed that one of the rarest, deadliest types of shifters was sitting with them, calmly eating pasta.

Belial considered this. “Probably, around others like me, considering the deadly venom thing. But in my case, I’m rehabbed. Got my rabies shots and everything. Just got sprung from Block R a couple of weeks ago.”

“Congrats.”

He beamed at her. “Thank you. So, what do you do?”

“Do?” She stared at him, at a loss.

“You know, in your clan.”

“Oh! I’m an enforcer, or I was. That was before I left my uncle, our Alpha, without really telling him where I was going and for how long.”

“News flash—Alphas don’t like when their top people disappear. Especially if they’re family.”